Eagles Center Jason Kelce Needs Sports Hernia Surgery

Eagles center Jason Kelce left Sunday's Week three game against the Redskins in the third quarter with an abdominal injury. Today it was reveled that Kelce needs surgery to repair a sports hernia.

"I have not met with the doctors or trainers, but I saw Kelce in the hallway," Kelly explained. "He's going to have sports hernia surgery.  I don't know how long he'll be out for, but I'll get that when I meet with the doctors and trainers later on this afternoon."

(Listen to former Eagles offensive lineman Barrett Brooks discuss the Eagles offensive line problems)

Brooks (Part I): 

Brooks (Part II): 

The anticipation is that Kelce will miss about six-to-eight weeks.

It's the latest blow to the Eagles offensive line. With Kelce reportedly out 6-8 weeks, David Molk should step in at center.  With Evan Mathis out, Dennis Kelly has been playing left guard, Andrew Gardner replaced Allen Barbre, who was replacing Lane Johnson, who will be returning after the 49ers game.

At one time yesterday, Andrew Gardner had to shift over to left tackle, when Jason Peters was ejected from the game.  Todd Herremans moved to right tackle, Wade Smith got his first Eagles action at left guard with Kelly moving over to right guard.

Got all that?  So is Chip Kelly thinking of making any moves this week to help sure up the offensive line?

"So there haven't been any discussions with what we're doing there," Kelly said.

Regardless of the amount of injuries across the front line, Kelly didn't seem to concerned on Monday.

"I don't have a level of concern," Kelly said.  "Just tell us who we've got that is available to play and let's go play."

One guy who got his first extended playing time as the center was Molk, who played last week at left guard, but now the undrafted rookie free agent will become the starting center most likely.

"He's a competitor," Kelly stated.  "I think he's extremely quick off the ball; he really gets into the defender very quickly.  He'll fight you.  He’s a tough, competitive guy in there and he'll scrap and give you everything he's got.  So in the games he's gotten in, whether it be at guard or at center, I think he's really competed when he was out there."

The guy he is replacing, Kelce just might be the most important player on the line.  While he might not be the caliber of player Peters or Mathis might be, he is maybe the most important.  Even though Molk won't be nearly as good as Kelce, Kelly hopes he will be able to step right in.

"He's not Jason right now just because he doesn't have the experience in our system," Kelly admitted.  "Molk's only been here a year, and Jason was here longer and through the whole system a year.  So obviously, Jason's ahead of him from that standpoint.  But Molk's a smart football player and understands what's going on out there."